4 strategies to eliminate water hammer

Q: What is the answer for a hammering sound in pipes? Our house was built in 1917, so we know the pipes are old. We have two toilets, but neither one leaks. We also have a dishwasher. Sometimes, after a shower or after the dishwasher has run through its on-and-off cycles, the pipes will hammer. If we run a faucet and turn it off gradually, this will often stop the hammer. What's really strange, however, is around 4 p.m., the pipes often start a racket when there have been no faucets operating anywhere. It's almost a daily ritual. A: What you describe is a version of a water hammer or a hydraulic shock. It's the sudden increase in water pressure in the water system when there is a change in the direction or velocity of the water. This can manifest itself in a number of ways. One ty...